Carrier.



F. W. SWIFT.

CARRIER.

APPLIGA'IION FILED SEPT. 26, 1912.

Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

amaw Fin GW/FT tlNlffltlD STATES PATENT @FFEQFY.

FREDERICK WILLIAM SWIFT, 0F WAPPINGERS FALLS, NEW YORK.

CARRIER.

Application filed September 26, 1912.

T0 (ZZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK WILLIAM SWIFT, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Wappingers Falls, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriers, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention relates to a carrying device for bath-tubs or articles of like nature.

One of the objects of the invention is the production of a convenient and safe carrier for articles having a rounded or rolled-over edge, such as bath-tubs, sinks and the like.

A further object is to provide a carrier which may be readily and securely applied to or detached from the edge of a bath-tub, or the like, without injury to its finish.

Still another object is to provide a car rier of durable and simple construction by means of which a couple of laborers can pick up and carry to best advantage, in cramped quarters, an enameled bath-tub of the average size and weight, without straining themselves or damaging walls or surrounding objects.

It is a fact well-known among plumbers that an enameled iron bath-tub is a difficult article to take hold of and carry, especially in going up or down flights of stairs or through winding passages or narrow door openings. This is due to the considerable weight of the tub, its awkward rounded contour and rolled or turned over edge, and

the fact that it has to be carried sidewise because its narrowest dimension is its depth. Bruised knuckles, pieces of plaster knocked out of the walls, and damaged woodwork are often incidental to the moving of a bath tub.

By the use of the present invention, which can be quickly and securely adjusted to take over the curved edge of a bath-tub without injuring its enameled surface, a couple of laborers can lift and carry a tub of average size and weight with perfect case. In the construction under consideration the load carried is disposed to best advantage so that the men handling the tub have absolute control, enabling them to swing or tilt it to clear corners or other obstructions with surety and ease. At the same time the device is simple enough to be adjusted and removed by the average plumbers helper, and when not in use it can be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. 7, 15913. Serial No. 722,468.

compactly folded to go into a workmans tool kit.

With these objects in View the invention comprises certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the annexed drawings, in which Figure l is a plan view of a bathtub, indicated by dotted lines, with the device applied thereto. The two halves of the device are shown of somewhat different construction, but it will be understood that in practice both halves will be alike, either of one construction or the other. Fig. 2 is a front view of Fig. 1 showing a different form of means for drawing the two halves of the device together. This view indicates the position in which the tub is carried. Fig. 3 is a left-hand side view of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a right-hand side view of the same figure.

In its preferred embodiments the invention comprises three hooked clamping jaws 5, for each end of the bath-tub. These jaws consist preferably of a pair of hooks or members 6 spaced a certain distance apart to provide a wide bearing span and lightness of construction. The said jaw members are lined on their inner or bearing faces with leather, canvas or other suitable material 7 fastened thereto by any approved means, so as to prevent them from injuring the enamel or glazing with which bath-tubs are ordinarily faced on the inside and edge. The members 6 are secured to a retainer 8 which may be in the nature of spaced bars 8 and 9. As shown at the lower right-hand portion of Fig. 1 these members may be pivotally secured between the bars 8,9 and have offset tail portions 10, 11 to limit their movements so as to permit of a certain amount of lateral play for the members to adjust themselves to the surface to which they are applied.

Links 15 flexibly connect the retainer for the end jaw with each of the retainers for the side jaws in that half of the apparatus, and links 16 join said latter retainers with a central connection 17. By virtue of the hinged connections between the jaws they will automatically adjust themselves to bath-tubs of different widths.

To pull or draw the two sets of jaws together a coupling member 20 which may be bridge piece 25 which may be threaded to 'detaohably receive a handle 26. One of those handles is provided with each end jaw preferably in alinement with a vertical lane passing centrally through the bathtub or at right angles to the plane of the upper face of the jaws and connecting links. The said handle 26 provides ample gripping room for one or both hand of a workman the center of ravity of the bathtub is disposed as nearl as ossible on the same line which passes through the persons can rying the article, by virtue of which it becomes a comparatively matter to swing or tilt the bath-tub in any direction without losing the guiding control thereof. I

r The jaws 5* represented at the left in Fi s. 1, 2 and in Fig. '3 show the clamping members and retainers iorn'ied integral in one piece (5 which may be a casting provided with an aperture 30 through which a link chain 32 passes from one to the other of the jaws. Said chain "32 is anchored to each jaw piece 5' as for instance by a pin 33 which passes through both parts, theends of the chain being attached to a center connection 17 r The middle upper portion of Fig. 2 illustrates how a turn-buckle 20 may constitute the means for pulling the toggle linkedconnections for both sets of jaws up tightly. The handle shown to the left of Fig. 2 and in Figeis preferably formed integral with the end jaw.

The inner or bent-over end of the jaws 7 may be turned inwardly and upwardly as shown at1'2 to prevent them from slipping V off [the edge ofthe bath-tub, Where it is deemed necessary, a connection 27 extendmg between the carrying handles 26 or 26 and passin sidew'ise of the tub may be em ployed to hold said handles from spreading.

In applying the device, each set of jaws is taken hold of by means of the links 15, where these are employed, andvput in place 'endwise with the curved hook jaws over the rolled edge oi? the bath-tub, then the center coupling is pulled up tight which puts an even clamping strain simultaneously on all the jaws, after which the bath-tub is ready to be lifted and carried on its side where desired when the handles are fastened in position. It is obvious that by reversing the operation, the carrying device may be as readily detached.

When separate from the bath=tub the whole device can be conveniently folded to= geth'er to occupy small enough space to be placed in the tool bag or kit in which the plumber generally carries his paraphernalia.

The links 15, 16 and the chain 32 constitute two forms of tension members crossing the top of the tub and connecting the jaws of each set with each other and with the jaws of the other set so that the two sets can be drawn tight against the round edge of the tub. The links have the advantage of ailording convenient parts to hold in placing the hooked jaws over the edge of the tub.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim 18:; 7

f1. A vdevice for carrying bath-tubs, comprising two reversely arranged and oo act-s ing sets of jaws constructed so as to hook over the-edges of aftub, each set including an end jaw and oppositely located side jaws, dia onally disposed tension members connected with said heoksso as to cross the top of the tub, and a central means for tightening the tension members so as to clam the jaws against the edges of the tub at all points of contact.

2. A device for carrying bath-tubs, comprising jaws constructed and arranged to hook over the edge or a tub at both ends and at the sides, tension members connected therewith arranged to pull inward on all of the jaws, means for tensioning said members so as to seat the jaws, and handles at the ends or the device projecting "downwardly from the end jaws whereby the tub can be carried when turned over on one side.

3. A device'for carrying bath-tubs, comprising two sets of jawseach having para'llel hooks constructed and arranged 1n pair's so as to takeover the edge of thetub, a retaining member connecting the hooks in each pair, tension members connectingthe jaws of each set through thehook retai ing members, and means for connecting thetension members of bothssets and drawing the same tight so as to seat the jaws.

4. A device for arrying bath-tubs, comprising two sets of hooked jaws, each set including an end jaw and oppositely located i side jaws constructed and arranged to take over the edge of a tub at one end and at the sides, diagonal tension members connecting the end jaw of each set with theside thereof, central tightening means, and tensi'on members connecting the side of each set with each other and with saidtightthing means.

5. A device for carrying bath-tubs, CO'II'lprising hooked jaws constructed and ar 'i ranged to take over the edge of a bath-tub at the ends and sides, tension member pivotally connected with said jaws and cross ing over the top of the tub, means acting on said tension members to draw the jaws into v place, and handles also held in place at the ends of the tub by said tension members and means.

6. A device for carrying bath-tubs and the like, comprising reversely arranged end and side jaws taking over the edge of a tub, means for drawing said jaws together, and a handle having a connection with the underside of each end jaw, said handle lying within the contour of the tub and being so located that the center of gravity of the tub passes therethrough.

7. A device for carrying bath-tubs and the like, comprising two sets of reversely arranged side and end jaws taking over the edge of a tub, tensioning means extending across the top of the tub and operating to clamp the jaws thereon, handles projecting downwardly one from each end jaw and means for holding the lower ends of said handles to each other.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 19th day of September, A. D. 1912.

FREDERICK WILLIAM SWIFT.

Witnesses:

H. C. KARLSON,

fiopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

